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Sunday, March 23, 2014

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I wish visual artist Malcolm McNeil had taken that wisdom to heart before he published this essay in Paraphelia. I've edited this passage not only to respect copyright law, but also because the bloody thing runs 1000 words long -- just to reiterate the same old tired evo psych bullshit in the windiest way possible. Judging from Mr. McNeil's prose style, and in direct opposition to his thesis, he seems to be the kind of guy that likes to hear himself natter on.

"We have to talk." To a man, the four most terrifying words in the English language... Women accept that men don’t talk as
much; men accept that women talk a lot more – a whole lot more
sometimes, often seemingly for no reason or the need to make sense... As hunter, the human male became
predator. His success was contingent on stealth and strategy. Only
essential information would be exchanged during the process and it would
be directed with specific intent. Unnecessary sound would not only be
contrary to the purpose but potentially life threatening... Verbal communication
among males therefore, would have inevitably become imbued with
characteristics of economy and efficiency. For human females [in contrast] Their inherently
compromised mobility definitely made them potential prey to other life
forms – including other, out-group, male-humans... ‘gathering’ is a more methodical activity
in which economy of sound is irrelevant to success... As Chris Rock points out, “…it’s
impossible for a man to win an argument with a woman, simply because
men…” – in keeping with the hunter paradigm – “are handicapped by the
need to make sense. Women aren’t going to let a little thing like sense get in the way of a good argument.” Women simply “have to talk”; it makes
them happy, it makes them feel secure. It’s been that way for a very
long time..."